Search News Center Articles

In a wide-ranging meeting Tuesday, the New Mexico State University Board of Regents approved new degree plans for the university system, a performance bonus for President Michael Martin and a list of legislative priorities for the upcoming session.

outstanding performance in a year filled with challenges, the board provided Martin with a one-time incentive bonus equal to 10 percent of his salary. Martin's salary for the new fiscal year that began July 1 is $293,841.

The regents also okayed 26 new degree and certificate proposals for the main campus and 45 new associate's degree and certificate programs for the university's two-year colleges. The programs were either previously approved or are in the planning stages and expected to be offered in the next five years.

Provost and Executive Vice President William Flores noted that the university was making the list of programs available as a planning tool because of a request from the New Mexico Higher Education Department. Flores said some programs are works in progress and contingent upon the formal process of application and a needs assessment.

Graduate programs that will begin in fall 2006 include a Ph.D. in nursing, a doctoral degree in economic development, a master of arts in counseling and educational psychology, and an interdisciplinary master of arts degree. A certificate program in online teaching and learning also will start in fall 2006.

A master of individualized studies program will begin in spring 2007. Master's degree programs in bioinformatics and computational biology, aerospace engineering and financial mathematics will start in fall 2007.

Undergraduate programs that will begin in fall 2007 include bachelor's degrees in earth resource management and creative media, a bachelor of fine arts degree in creative media, and bachelor of science degrees in construction management and intelligence studies.

Graduate degree programs that will start in spring 2008 include a doctorate in school psychology and a master's degree in online teaching and learning. Fall 2008 will offer doctorates in aerospace engineering, social work, and management technology, and a master of arts degree in national and international intelligence studies.

A master of fine arts/master of arts in creative media program will begin in spring 2009. The fall semester of that year will offer a professional doctorate in public health, Ph.D.s in nursing practice and national and international intelligence studies, and a master of science degree in engineering physics.

Degrees that have been eliminated in the past five years or that will be eliminated in the next five years from the main campus include doctoral degrees in science and laws and bachelors of science degrees in geological engineering, medical technology, and environmental and occupational health.

New Mexico State University's two-year colleges also will offer a variety of new associate's degrees or certificate programs scheduled to start within the next five years.

NMSU-Dona Ana community college will offer 24 new degree programs. The facilities maintenance tech program will be cancelled.

NMSU-Alamogordo will offer eight new degree programs. The two-year campus at NMSU-Carlsbad will offer four new degree programs.

NMSU-Grants will offer nine new degree programs and eliminate three.

The list of legislative priorities included research and public service programs, statewide instruction and general programs and intercollegiate athletics programs. The total request was $16.9 million for the main campus.